Staple-fastening.



No. 628,380. Patented July 4, |899. E.. ANDREWS. I STAPLE FASTENINB.

(Application Sled Apr. 18, 1896.)

(No Model.)

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@MM ENQ/8L ns co. morauwmwumemu n c NITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

EMERY ANDREWS, OF KENNEBUNK, MAINE."

sTAPLE-FASTENING.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,380, dated July 4, 1899.

Application filed April 16,1896. Serial No. 587,761. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.-

Beit known that l, EMERY ANDREWS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kennebunk, in the county of York and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Staple-Fastenings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved staple-fastening for use in the manufacture of articles which are made from leather or similar material in securing the parts thereof together.

The nature of said invention is fully set forth in the following description, and the novel features thereof are particularly pointed out in the claim at the end of this specification.

In the following description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan View of a continuous ribbon or strip of metal from which the staples are formed. The figure indicates the cuts which are made across the strip in severing it into blanks, which are afterward bent into the proper shape to form a completed staple. Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views, each showing a metalstrip severed by lines of cut of different shape from the lines shown, Fig. l. Fig. l is a perspective view of a complete staple.

Staples of the kind hereinafter described are particularly designed to be formed from a continuous strip of metal in a machine which is also adapted to drive the staples and set them in the work. One common use of this kind is in the manufactureof boots and shoes, in which they are frequently used as a means of securing the soles of the boots or shoes to the uppers. Two kinds of staples have heretofore been used, to my knowledge, in work of this kind, and both of these forms are objectionable, One of said forms of staple is formed by severing the continuous strip of metal with a straight out at a greater or less .angle with the sides of the strip, as shown in Fig. 2, in which figure I have shown three methods of severing the strip, each being at a different angle from the others. If the strip be severed, as shown at A, a staple is formed the prongs of 'which have what are termed sliver-points, and in use these points are easily defiected from a straight line, so that they are liable to deviate from their proper course even if the prongs of the staple be driven into previously-formed awl-holes in the stock. If the strip of metal be severed by cuts such as shown at B D, Fig. 2, the points of the prongs will be sufficiently stout and stiff to enter the stock and preserve their proper condition, but they will be too stiff to permit them to clench readily, and there is, furthermore, no shoulder on the prong thus formed to prevent it from working into the shoe (if the staples be employed in shoemanufacture) when the crown of the staple is worn off, and thus great inconvenience is apt to result to the wearer of the shoe. Another form of staple is known to me, the construction of which I have indicated at` Fig.y 3 of the drawings. The prongs of this form of staple are formed with blunt points `and square shoulders by severing the strip from which they are formed by lines of cut such as are indicated at E in said figure. Staples thus formed cannot be driven into the stock unless the prongs are driven in previouslyformed awl-holes, and in that case the square shoulder of the prong crushes the leather as it enters and leaves a rough surface, which is undesirable. It is also known to me that staples or nails of other forms have been made by cutting out a piece of the flat strip of metal between each staple; but this is not economical, and is therefore objectionable. By the employment of my invention I overcome the difculties which exist with reference to the staples above referred to noT in use, so far as known to me, and am enabled to provide a staple .that combines the following points of advantage, namely: My improved staples may be cut from a continuous strip of metal without waste. Their prongs are provided with points stout and sti enough to be driven without deiiection, while at the same time they are sharp enough to penetrate the leather without first making awl-holes for their reception. are sufficiently slender to permit them to be readily clenched when driven through the leather or similar material upon an anvil or suitable clenching device. A Their prongs are each provided with a shoulder broad enough Their prongs IOO 'to prevent the workin g in of the prong if the crown of the staple is Worn ott, while the line of the said shoulder is at the same time oblique enough to enter the leather by pushing it aside instead of crushing it.

My improved staple is formed by cutting the continuous strip of metal into blanks by. lines of cut which cross the strip, as shown at 3 in Fig. l. The line' of cut 3 is at such an angle with the edge of the strip as to form the point of the prong with an acute angle, preferably about sixty degrees. The line of cut then turns more nearly into the direction of the length of the strip, and again turns so as to leave the other side of the strip at the same angle as it enteredthat is, the angle which Ihave above stated to be preferably about sixty degrees. That portion of the line of cut which lies more nearly in the direction of the length of the strip and which forms the edge of the shank of the prong may be nearly or quite parallel with the sides of the strip. I prefer, however, to have it slightly out of parallel with the sides of the said strip, as shown in said Fig. l, so that the shank of the prong will be slightly tapering and smaller toward the point. The severing of the strip by a line of cut of the character above described enables me to form a staple which meets the desirable Aconditions previously set forth herein. After the blanks are cut from the strip they are bent by suitable mechanism at two points intermediate the shoulders of the prongs and are given the form of the completed staple, as shown, Fig. 4E. As will be clear, the points ofthe prongs of a staple thus formed will not be in line, the point of one prong being at one side of the strip from which the blank was cut, while the point of the other prong will be at the opposite side of said strip. If desired, however, the prongs may be bent so that the points thereof will lie in the same plane either by bending both the prongs out of the center line or by bending one prong so that its point will be in line with the point of the other prong. This feature of bending the prong so that the points thereof will lie in the saine plane is well known and forms no part of my present invention.

What I claim is- A staple comprising a crown and prongs, the latter having sharp, hat, but not sliver points formed at an angle of approximately sixty degrees, the shank portions of the said prongs being tapered but having the sides thereof substantially parallel, and the full width of the crown being continued for a portion of the length of the prongs and terminating in sloping shoulders located on opposite edges of the respective prongs and at the upper ends of the tapers of the shanks, the said shoulders having outlines corresponding with those of the points.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EMERY ANDREVS.

Vitnesses:

AsA A. RICHARDSON, XVM. A. MAoLEoD. 

